an Osprey, an Eagle, a fish and a dispute
Acrylic on panel, 48 x 29 in. (2006)

This painting is a political work. In other words, the allegory here expresses a point of view about the relationships between friends generally, and the United States and Canada specifically.

The magnificent Bald Eagle is the U.S. national symbol: why they chose a scavenger is not clear. And bald eagles are known to thieve the food (or catch) of other species, including their own.

So in the fictional world where the osprey Canada is busying itself in gathering food, along comes its bigger brother U.S. who steals the catch. What can he do about that? It is not feasible to fight this guy. Better he go along, stay out of the way, play the friendship game, and maybe he won’t take stuff without asking permission first . . . maybe.

Please do not misunderstand: I think the U.S. and Canada are great friends. We sometimes disagree and sometimes our friend can be more than a little persuasive.